AURORA, Mo. — The Joplin softball team finished the Kickoff Classic hosted by Aurora High School with a 2-1 record on Saturday after earning wins against Hillcrest and Branson and falling to Duncan, Oklahoma, to finish with a 4-1 record over the weekend.
“This weekend was great to start our season,” first-year Joplin coach Brenden Schneider said. “We competed in every game. I was proud of how the girls responded to the adversity. Whether it was giving up two in the first to CJ (on Friday) or having to constantly battle through multiple tie-breaker innings against Duncan. I was also proud of how we responded after the tough loss to Duncan by beating a tough Branson team.”
JOPLIN 6, HILLCREST 1
Joplin kicked off its Saturday by scoring at least one run in each of the first four innings en route to the win over Hillcrest.
The Eagles plated two in the first inning, scored single tallies in the second and third frames and wrapped up their production with two more runs touching home in the last of the fourth inning to build a 6-1 lead, ending the game through five innings.
Ava Wolf earned the win in the circle after allowing one run on one hit, eight walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Caelyn Bobski worked 1 1/3 relief innings without allowing a run and surrendering two hits.
Camryn Summers took the loss after allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits, a walk and a strikeout in four innings.
The Eagles picked up two runs in the first off an error by the Hornets and an RBI groundout by Abby Lowery before Bailey Ledford scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the second for a 3-0 lead. Hillcrest got a run back in the top of the third before Izzy Yust scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half.
Kirsten McMillen doubled to left to score Ledford in the fourth before Pankow doubled to center to plate another run to bring the score to 6-1.
Ledford had two hits and scored three runs for Joplin at the plate. McMillen had one hit and two RBI.
DUNCAN 5, JOPLIN 4 (8 INNINGS)
Joplin and Duncan took a 2-2 tie into the sixth inning when both teams traded single tallies in the sixth and seventh innings to force extras, which saw the Demons score a run in the last of the eighth to walk off the win.
Emily Wilson earned a no-decision after allowing three runs on nine hits, three walks and 10 strikeouts in six innings. Finley Davis earned the win after pitching two scoreless relief innings, allowing three hits and striking out one.
Jill McDaniel took the loss after allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits, two walks and nine strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
Abby Lowery was 4-for-4 at the plate and scored a run. McDaniel and Maria Loum each had two hits.
JOPLIN 6, BRANSON 2
Joplin scored four runs in the top of the third inning on the way to a weekend-closing win over Branson in the final game on Saturday.
Pankow started the scoring in the third inning with an RBI single two batters before Lowery doubled to center field with two outs to plate two runs to push the lead to 4-0. Libby Munn followed with a two-out RBI single to center to bring the lead to 5-0.
Pankow had two hits, two RBI and scored a run, while Lowery doubled, drove in two and scored a run to lead the Eagles at the plate.
Bobski earned the win in the circle after allowing two runs on six hits, three walks and a strikeout in 5 1/3 innings. McDaniel pitched 2/3 of a relief inning, striking out one.
ON DECK
Joplin hosts McDonald County on Tuesday in the home opener on Tuesday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
AURORA, Mo. — The 2022 softball season got underway on Friday with Joplin sweeping a pair of games on the opening day of the Kick Off Classic hosted by Aurora High School, with Carl Junction closing the day with a split.
The Eagles (2-0) earned an 18-5 win over Aurora before defeating Carl Junction (1-1) in the second game, 3-2. The Bulldogs also earned a 15-3 win over Aurora.
JOPLIN 18, AURORA 5
Joplin started quickly with four runs touching home in the first inning before adding seven in the third, four runs in the fourth and three more tallies in the fifth on the way to the five-inning win in the opening game.
Jill McDaniel earned the win after allowing one unearned run on two hits, three walks and six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Ava Wolf allowed four runs, three earned, on two hits, three walks and a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Abby Williams took the loss after allowing 11 runs, nine earned, on seven hits, seven walks and a strikeout in three innings. Kenzie Malott allowed seven runs, two earned, on six hits, three walks and a strikeout in two relief innings.
Joplin scored 18 runs on 13 hits, with Bailey Ledford, Riley Kelly, Izzy Yust, Abby Lowery and Maria Loum all recording two hits apiece. Ledford doubled, walked, scored twice and drove in two, while Kelly had a double, drove in three and scored twice. Lowery had three RBI and scored a run, while Loum tripled, drove in two and scored twice. Libby Munn doubled, scored two runs and tallied two RBI, while Yust scored twice and picked up an RBI.
JOPLIN 3, CARL JUNCTION 2
Carl Junction took the early momentum with two runs in the top of the first inning before Joplin rallied with single tallies in the second, third and fourth innings and held the Bulldogs at bay the rest of the way en route to the victory.
CJ landed the first punch with two runs scoring in the opening frame after a run-scoring triple to center from Sammie Sims before Madi Olds followed with an RBI groundout to build a 2-0 cushion.
Joplin cut the lead in half after Munn scored Lowery, who reached on an error, with a sacrifice fly to center. After the Bulldogs stranded a pair of runners in the top of the third inning, the Eagles tied the game at 2-2 on a Jaydn Pankow two-out solo home run to left field. Lowery doubled to left to lead off the last of the fourth before scoring later on a two-out shallow single in left-center field to put Joplin in front for good, 3-2.
Carl Junction went down in order in its final three at-bats.
McDaniel earned the complete-game win in the circle, allowing two runs on three hits, two walks and 10 punchouts in seven innings of work.
Hannah Cole took the loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits in three innings. Kiley Spencer allowed three hits and struck out one in three scoreless relief innings.
Pankow had two hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Kirsten McMillen, Kelly, Yust, Lowery, who doubled, Munn and Loum all had hits for Joplin.
Sims had two hits, including a triple, an RBI and scored a run, while Spencer also had a hit for the Bulldogs.
CARL JUNCTION 15, AURORA 3
The Bulldogs close their day with four-inning win after plating five runs in the first inning to jump out in front before putting the game away with nine runs crossing home in the fourth.
Spencer earned the win after allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits, two walks and six strikeouts in four innings.
Williams took the loss after allowing 15 runs, 11 earned, on 11 hits, three walks and two strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Ryleigh Palmer had two hits, including a triple, two runs scored and an RBI, while Izzie Southern had two hits, three RBI and scored twice. Dezi Williams tripled on the way to two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Sims had one hit, scored twice and drove in two. Hannah Cantrell had one hit, scored a run and walked once, while Georgia Arnold had a hit, scored twice and drove in one to go along with a walk.
NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats opened their season in style with a 10-3 win Friday against the Commerce (Okla.) Tigers at the Neosho Athletic Complex.
The Wildcats excelled at times Friday with their bats, their feet, their gloves, and their pitching arms.
Neosho took control of the contest with a six-run outburst in the fourth. The Wildcats plated one run in the four innings surrounding their big inning.
“I was pleased with the first outing, especially when you’re playing a team that’s already played 13 games,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “Oklahoma gets to start sooner, so they’ve got a benefit there, but I was so pleased we had great energy the whole game and we tallied up 14 hits. We had a little bit of a struggle on the mound, too many walks and hit-by-pitches, but our defense helped us out and scoring that many runs when you have 14 hits, you can be not as sharp on defense or the mound. However, I know we can do better than that. Overall, though, great attitudes, great hustle, and great baserunning.”
The Wildcats applied steady pressure on the bases Friday — stealing bases, taking extra bases on throws, and scoring two of their six runs in the fourth on three-base errors by Commerce outfielders.
“Our baserunning was phenomenal,” Cummins said. “We’ve got some speed. There’s only a couple of kids on our team who can’t steal a base. Then, when the catcher’s arm isn’t great, we took advantage of it all day. She worked hard, but she just couldn’t get the ball down there quick enough for our speed. I was pleased with that.”
Grace Johnson started her senior year with three hits, including RBI singles in the second and the fourth.
“We’ve had some tough conversations with her,” Cummins said. “At the beginning of our practices, she just wasn’t squaring up the ball well and she wasn’t taking great cuts. She faced that adversity and has used the coaching and some of the difficult talks to her advantage. That’s what you want. She’s mentally tough, she was ready, and she knows that she has to hit to stay in the lineup. She can do it. We’re not asking her to do something that she can’t do. It showed, and when you get her on the bases, she’s phenomenal.”
Beclynn Garrett and McKaylie Forrest each doubled in the sixth, while freshman Autumn Kinnaird delivered two hits in her high school debut.
Neosho threw senior Chloe Patterson for the first two innings, brought on sophomore Carleigh Kinnaird in the third, and freshman Olivia Emery showcased her potential and earned her first victory with seven strikeouts and one hit allowed over 3 1/3 scoreless innings.
“We just finished our postgame talk, and we truly are a pitching staff,” Cummins said. “You saw that (Friday). We threw three kids out there that had success. If you ask Carleigh, she threw terrible and she’s going to beat herself up about it. She’s going to be ready for the next one. We’ve seen better out of her. All that to say, if we had to have left her in, she would have turned it around. We just wanted her not to feel like the pressure of the world was on her.
“Olivia, her ball is funky. It’s one of those things where people are shocked with what it is and it is hard to describe what she does. She pounds it in there pretty well, and she did a great job. We had some great defense (Friday), too.”
Neosho returns to action Monday on the road against Monett, an early-season opponent Neosho defeated 12-2 last season and 9-1 two seasons ago.
The Wildcats then close out their first week with games Friday and Saturday in the 18th annual Paige Neal/Christina Freeman Softball Tournament at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
Neosho opens with pool competition Friday against Blue Springs, Carthage, and Monett.
AURORA, Mo. — The Seneca Indians opened the 2022 season with a comfortable 44-8 road win over Aurora on Friday.
The Indians jumped in front with a pair of 2-yard rushing touchdowns in the first quarter from Jackson Marrs, who added a third score in the second quarter from 6 yards out to help give Seneca a 24-8 lead at the intermission. Seneca blanked Aurora 20-0 in the third period and the Indians defense pitched a shutout in the second half.
Marrs’ third-quarter rushing score was from 23 yards outs, while Dominick Wheeler and Kaden Clouse each had 2-yard touchdowns on the ground
Marrs finished with 18 carries for 145 yards, while QB Gavyn Hoover completed 6-of-9 passes for 154 yards.
Seneca opens up the home portion of the schedule with a matchup with Springfield Catholic on Friday.
NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats and the Willard Tigers combined for 151 points in a wild-and-crazy game that constituted both a marathon and a shootout, and in the end, Neosho came through with a rare defensive stand Friday night to earn a season-opening 79-72 victory at historic Bob Anderson Stadium.
“It was an exciting one, for sure,” Neosho coach Brandon Taute said. “Feels like we coached three or four games, honestly, and I’m sure the kids feel the same way. We had kids cramping up, but when you play as many snaps as they did, with some of them playing both ways, it’s to be expected.
“Both teams just kept fighting all game long. I told our kids before the game that it’s going to come down to whoever wants it the most. Without a doubt, our kids continued to fight until the very end, and they never gave up.
“We’ll use our 24-hour rule. They’ll get to enjoy it tonight and we’ll come back Saturday. There’s a lot to work on still. We’re going to have a long day in the film room, but it’s a good thing and it’s a lot easier to do when you come out on the winning side. We’ll try and clean things up and get ready for next week.”
Neosho, 1-0 overall and in the Central Ozark Conference, returns to action in Week 2 on the road against Nixa. The Eagles opened their season with a 42-19 victory Friday night against the defending Class 5 state champion Webb City.
After Willard tied it up at 72 with 6 minutes, 50 seconds remaining in regulation with a touchdown and a successful conversion run, the Wildcats took possession at their own 30 with 6:46 left and put together one of the most sustained drives on a night, highlighted by long scoring plays and possessions under a minute.
Neosho drove 70 yards in 14 plays and Jared Siler scored the winning TD on a 1-yard run at 2:07. The Wildcats relied heavily on their senior running back on the final drive, calling his number nine times, all running plays.
“We’re a tempo offense,” Taute said. “We always try and control the tempo of the game. Most of the time, that’s going fast. Late in the game, we slow down a little bit to try and take some time off the clock. We really want to try and get them gassed, so that plays to our advantage.”
The Wildcat defense played tough when it mattered the most and junior defensive back Cade Camerer preserved the victory with a fourth-down pass breakup on a Willard deep ball in the final minute.
“We preach to the kids that every play matters,” Taute said. “In a game like this, it’s never more evident that every single play matters and that one play you make is the difference in the game.”
Friday night marked the latest chapter in what has started to become a rivalry.
The Wildcats played against Willard in three of their last four games—Neosho defeated Willard 21-14 in Week 8 last season for the Wildcats’ only win, with a late Siler touchdown run and a defensive stand against the driving Tigers preserving victory. Two weeks later, Willard returned to Bob Anderson for a playoff game and ended Neosho’s season with a 56-35 final score.
“It’s been back-and-forth the last three times,” Taute said. “We played them three times at home. We’re lucky to get them at home each time, honestly, but I’m excited to move forward throughout the year and I hope that this can get us some confidence heading into next week.
“Our kids have been working hard in the weight room since the season ended last year. We’ve spent time doing drills and going to camps all summer long. Our progress has been great every week, but we just want to continue to get better every day.”
Neosho and Willard truly outdid themselves in their most recent meeting.
The Wildcats sprinted out to a 14-0 lead with a pair of scores in the first 1:51— taking possession first, senior Isaiah Green turned a short pass from junior quarterback Quenton Hughes into a 63-yard touchdown play down the left sideline and then Hughes and senior Brock Franklin connected on a 20-yard TD pass two plays after senior Carter Baslee recovered a Willard fumble on the ensuing kickoff.
Neosho never trailed Friday and led 24-14 after one quarter, 52-36 at halftime, and 66-56 after three quarters.
Willard fought back to within 17-14, 38-36, and 52-50 before the 72-all score.
NOTE: The 151 combined points is second most all-time in MSHSAA history for an 11-man contest.
Owensville and St. James combined for 155 in 2011 (80-75).
The Joplin Interstate Championships kicked off the 2022 girls tennis season on Friday at both JHS and Millennium Family Fitness.
The 16-team tournament got underway on Friday with pool play action.
Joplin went 1-2 in Pool A.
Joplin senior Emma Watts hits a backhand during Friday’s Joplin Interstate Championships at the JHS tennis courts. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Joplin earned a 6-0 win over West Plains.
Rogersville edged Joplin 5-4, while Lee’s Summit North topped the Eagles 5-0.
Against Rogersville, Joplin’s No. 1 doubles team of Emma Watts and Mya Ndedi Ntepe beat Caitlyn Archer and Lydia Coryell 7-5. Joplin’s No. 2 doubles team of Brynn Driver and Jensen Vowels beat Alex Wubbena-Raleigh Powell 6-0. The Wildcats won the No. 3 doubles match, as Nikki Woods-Gabrielle Bybee beat Alex Carson and Bonnie Smith 6-0.
Watts beat Archer 6-4 at No. 1 singles and Vowels defeated Coryell 6-2 at No. 3 singles. Woods defeated Ndedi Ntepe 6-1 at No. 2, Wubbena topped Driver 6-1 at No. 5, Powell edged Carson 7-6 (7-5) at No. 5 and Veronica Kozlar nipped Smith 7-6 (7-4).
Lee’s Summit North won all three doubles matches and two singles matches (No. 3, No. 4) to earn the dual win against the hosts.
Against West Plains, Joplin’s Driver, Carson and Smith won singles matches. Joplin swept all three doubles matches.
Lee’s Summit North went 3-0 in the pool, while Rogersville was 2-1 and West Plains went 0-3.
Carl Junction went 2-1 in Pool B.
The Bulldogs beat Warrensburg 5-1 and Willow Springs 5-0.
Rogers beat Carl Junction 5-0 en route to going 3-0 in pool play.
Webb City went 0-3 in Pool C and College Heights was 0-3 in Pool D. The Cardinals suffered losses to Staley (5-0), Rogers Heritage (6-0) and Harrisonville (8-1).
The Cougars dropped matches to Grain Valley (5-0), Willard (5-4) and Bentonville West (5-0).
SATURDAY’S ACTION
The tourney continues on Saturday with bracket play.
In the opening round of the Challenger’s Bracket at 9 a.m., Joplin plays College Heights, Webb City meets Willow Springs, Willard takes on Warrensburg and West Plains plays Harrisonville.
The semifinals are scheduled for 11:30, with the championship match slated for 2.
The Champions Bracket’s first round matches have Bentonville West vs. Rogersville, Carl Junction vs. Staley, Lee’s Summit North vs. Rogers Heritage and Grain Valley vs. Rogers. Those matches start at 9 a.m., with semifinals at 11:30 and final matches scheduled for 2.
Bonnie Smith hits a forehand for the Eagles on Friday. All photos by Shawn Fowler.
Carl Junction’s Emily Rice is pictured during Friday’s girls tennis tournament at Joplin High School.
Joplin’s Brynn Driver hits a forehand winner during Friday’s tournament at JHS. All photos by Shawn Fowler.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — After scoring one of his six touchdowns in the first half on an extremely humid Friday night, Luke Gall suddenly felt sick. He ran off the field to the sidelines, knelt down and vomited.
The extra point try and kickoff took place in the background while he collected himself and sipped some water.
On the next two plays, the two-way senior standout was the first defender to the ball, stuffing run plays.
It was that kind of night for Gall and Carthage as they routed the Republic Tigers 56-26 at David Haffner Stadium to begin the 2022 football season 1-0.
“It’s just about the drive to win,” the running back/linebacker combo said of how he was able to continue, and thrive. “It’s humid tonight, it was raining earlier, it got humid. I just got tired, I threw up. But the game’s not over. In my opinion, it’s my responsibility (to help) the team win. That’s how I should think, to carry myself more and play better. If we lose, I take the loss personally. If we win, that’s on the team and it’s a good job. So I think it’s just about effort, I guess.”
Luke Gall scored six touchdowns against Republic on Friday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
Gall’s effort in the victory could be called satisfactory. In addition to playing nearly every snap at linebacker, he found the end zone five times on the ground and hauled in a pass from senior quarterback and first-year starter Cooper Jadwin, taking it 96 yards for a total of six scores on the night.
“We were backed up pretty good there,” said coach Jon Guidie, who reached 200 career coaching wins with Friday night’s victory, most coming at Carthage, but 47 as coach of Cherryvale High School in Southeast Kansas. “Second and long, we thought ‘Let’s try to get half of it, let’s see if we can’t get it back to manageable on third down.’ And then Luke turned into Luke and he just does what he does … beautifully executed play right there.”
At that point, Carthage held a lead of only 20-7 late in the second quarter. A block in the back penalty and a loss of four on a run by Jadwin had backed Carthage up to its own 6-yard-line. Guidie sent multiple wideouts deep, and Gall emerged from the backfield and floated into the flat, where Jadwin found him and he refused to be stopped until he found the end zone.
That touchdown was part of a 36-19 run in Carthage’s favor that sealed the deal.
Some season-opening jitters led the Tigers to use all three of their first-half timeouts by the 7:44 mark of the second quarter, meaning they had to eat a delay of game penalty before halftime, and they also allowed Republic some big plays, as those Tigers scored on plays of 53, 65 and 50 yards. Even so, the game ended with a 30-point margin and, thus, MSHSAA’s accelerated clock.
Carthage QB Cooper Jadwin carries the ball on Friday night. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
“That’s kind of what we said at halftime, ‘It feels like we’re just getting killed out here,’” Guidie said. “And it was because it was so stressful just getting the plays in, having to use those timeouts, getting the right personnel in, all those things. But, you know, it’s a first week and those things will get ironed out.”
Gall ended the night with 15 rushes for 115 yards and two receptions for 121 yards. That all added up to six total touchdowns and 236 yards from scrimmage.
Making his first-ever start at quarterback, Jadwin rushed 12 times for 89 yards and completed 4-of-7 passing attempts for 147 yards and the touchdown to Gall.
Guidie jokingly chalked up his career milestone to volume and time, but said what he appreciated about it most was his team celebrating on his behalf.
“I’ve been really fortunate to coach with some really good football coaches and coach some really good football players,” he said. “And, you know, I’ve been doing this a long time, so, eventually, you’re probably going to get there. But, no, it means a lot to have these guys do it and, you could see that they were very, very happy for me, which makes me really proud of them.”
Carthage will travel to face the Branson Pirates in Week 2.
Carthage senior standout Luke Gall reaches the end zone against Republic.
OZARK, Mo. — Coming off a three-win campaign, Carl Junction football was presumably thrilled to turn its focus to the 2022 season. Bringing back plenty of experience, the Bulldogs this preseason worked on leaning into their biggest strength—the running game.
“We don’t want to line up and throw it 40 times a game,” Carl Junction coach Doug Buckmaster told SoMo Sports earlier this week. “We want to be more balanced, or even more top heavy running the football. … We have three or four kids who can rotate at running back, and they also play defense, so we are trying to get better at platooning than we have been the last couple of years.”
Carl Junction’s rushing attack was supposed to be highlighted by Chance Benford. However, the talented back and all-conference linebacker had his senior season taken away from him by way of a lower leg injury that occurred during last week’s jamboree.
Even without their top back Friday night, the Bulldogs stuck to their preseason gameplan of running the football, and relied on juniors Johnny Starks and Tony Stewart on their way to a 42-21 victory over Ozark to open the season and Central Ozark Conference slate at Tigers Stadium.
Starks tallied two of the Bulldogs’ five rushing touchdowns on the evening, while junior quarterback Dexter Merrell added a pair of rushing scores and Stewart had one of his own.
Carl Junction notched its lone non-rushing touchdown to open the scoring just minutes into the contest when Merrell heaved a touchdown pass over the top to senior receiver Malakhi Moore, who sped past his defender and hauled in the catch before racing all the way to the end zone to complete an 85-yard touchdown reception.
The Bulldogs’ first defensive possession resulted in a fumble recovery. Carl Junction’s offense capitalized on the turnover, as Starks darted his way into the end zone on a 16-yard rush midway through the first quarter following a Nathan Planchon big-play reception from Merrell.
Ozark responded and cut the deficit to 14-7 with a 40-yard rushing touchdown from senior running back Ethan Sutherland with 4:35 left in the first frame. Starks, however, found the end zone again, this time from 12 yards out, to provide the visitors a 21-7 lead with 9:07 remaining in the second.
Carl Junction’s defense was in the midst of a groove at this point. It yielded two punts and a second turnover, a fumble recovered by Starks, which set up a 36-yard run by Stewart and a Merrell 2-yard touchdown run via a quarterback keeper—providing a Bulldogs’ favorable 28-7 halftime lead.
After the Tigers turned over their first possession of the second half, Merrell capped another successful touchdown drive—highlighted by a Starks’ 46-yard run—on a two-yard scamper with 7:34 left in the third quarter. Then, Carl Junction extended the lead to 42-7 late in the third when Stewart scored from four yards out. He finished the third quarter with 73 rushing yards on 11 carries. Starks midway through the frame had 82 yards on six rushes.
Ozark tacked on two touchdowns in the fourth quarter when Brady Dodd linked up with Jace Whatley on a 57-yard connection and Laine Emmerth scored a 32-yard rushing touchdown.
Carl Junction hosts Webb City at 7 p.m. on Thursday in a COC contest. Nixa knocked off Webb City in a crucial Week 1 road win, 42-19.
If you weren’t familiar with sophomore Davin Thomas’ name before Joplin squared off against Branson to open the 2022 regular season, you certainly knew his name by the time the clock expired in the fourth quarter.
Joplin senior LB Draven VanGilder (58) and junior DE Blake Farmer (18) wrap up the Branson ball carrier in the Eagles’ win over the Pirates on Friday at Junge Field. Photos by Shawn Fowler.
Joplin football has produced a number of athletes over the last several seasons capable of the big play, and Thomas looked like another dangerous addition to the Eagles’ offense after accumulating a pair of touchdowns to go along with 116 yards receiving on five catches, all coming in the first half, to help lead Joplin past Branson 34-3 on Friday at Junge Field.
“He definitely has the speed and athleticism to be a big-play guy,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said. “With sophomores, you just never know how they will react the first time on the big stage. But, he made some outstanding plays and it’s nice that we can count on him.”
In total, Joplin’s offense had five scoring drives while gaining 441 yards on 49 plays, but also had a pair of turnovers.
“Offensively, the thing I was most proud of was our perimeter blocking,” Jasper said. “We return WRs Terrance (Gibson) and Aidan (Sampson), but we also had some guys like Davin who were fairly new playing and they did a good job, too.”
Joplin senior WR Terrance Gibson fights for extra yardage on a catch early in the Eagles’ win over Branson on Friday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
On the other side of the ball, the Eagles’ defense was dominant. Joplin forced Branson into two turnovers while limiting the Pirates to three points, 191 yards on 45 plays, pitching a second-half shutout in the process.
“I can’t say enough about the defense,” Jasper said. “We replaced nine of 11 and they just did an amazing job tonight. And it was a bunch of guys rotating in. We didn’t have 11 guys playing the entire game. There were a lot of players who saw action tonight and I feel really good about that.”
GAME ACTION
After a fumble on a quarterback-running back exchange on its first possession, Joplin’s offense found some life the second time with the ball. On the second play of the series, looking at a second-down and 3 yards, junior QB Hobbs Gooch found Thomas in the far flat, with Thomas running past everyone up the sideline on the way to a 76-yard touchdown, the first of his varsity career, with 5:10 left to play in the first quarter.
Joplin added to their lead after the defense forced the Pirates in a three-and-out punt situation. On the fourth play of the third series on offense, Joplin junior RB Quin Renfro broke off a 13-yard run to set himself up for a 2-yard touchdown to push the lead to 14-0 with 1:55 left in the first quarter.
“I was really pleased with the offensive line in the first half,” Jasper said. “They did a really good job of opening holes and the running backs did a good job of hitting them.”
Joplin junior QB Hobbs Gooch loads up to pass in the Eagles’ win over Branson on Friday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
The Eagles were driving into Branson territory after forcing another punt before Gooch was picked inside the red zone for Joplin’s second turnover of the game at the start of the quarter.
The turnover didn’t swing the momentum, as the Eagle defense again got a quick stop and the offense capitalized with Gooch finding senior RB Drew VanGilder in the flat, with VanGilder making a man miss before barreling his way into the endzone for paydirt with 8:26 left in the first half to stretch the margin to 21-0.
Joplin’s defense gave possession back to the offense shortly later when senior LB Draven VanGilder, who finished with 16 tackle sin the win, recovered a fumble by Branson.
The Eagles made the most of the turnover, with Thomas finding the endzone for the second time in the game after hauling in a 13-yard pass from Gooch with 5:40 left in the first half to vault Joplin to a 27-0 lead.
Branson got on the board just before the two-minute mark of the second quarter when sophomore Dane Efird connected on a 26-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 27-3. The kick was set up by a 51-yard run from RB Cade Grimm.
Joplin’s defense came up with a turnover with the Pirates looking at first-down and goal from the 10-yard line when junior LB Jonathan Williams dove on a bad snap to give the offense the ball back.
Joplin got the first points of the second half when Gooch flipped a pass to Terrance Gibson, who burst through the hole, fought off a tackle and sprinted to the endzone for a 64-yard touchdown with 47.9 seconds left in the third quarter to push the lead to 34-3.
“I haven’t ran that fast in a minute,” Gibson said with a smile. “The coaches have been pushing us hard in the weight room, and I am lining up with guys I want to see succeed. If I am going to be a leader on this team for them, I need to work hard to make sure the underclassmen can look up to me.”
JOPLIN STATS
Joplin junior Garrett Howard (45) and sophomore Josiah Hazlewood (30) wrap up the Branson ball carrier in the Eagles’ win over the Pirates. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Gooch was 16-of-20 passing with four touchdowns and two interceptions and 299 yards through the air. Renfro rushed 10 times for 49 yards and a touchdown, with Drew VanGilder rushing nine times for 62 yards to go along with one reception for 13 yards and a touchdown. Gibson added three catches for 103 yards and a touchdown.
UP NEXT
Joplin hits the road in Week 2 with a matchup at Willard on Sept. 2.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Self-inflicted wounds doomed the Webb City Cardinals in the opener of the 2022 prep football season.
An inability to finish off drives plagued the Cardinals throughout the contest.
On the other hand, the Nixa Eagles made the most of their offensive opportunities en route to a 42-19 Central Ozark Conference victory over the Cardinals on Friday night at a packed Cardinal Stadium.
Penalties cost the Cardinals three possible scores, with all coming inside the 20-yard line. The Cardinals also had a costly turnover.
“Those penalties were just drive killers,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “When you don’t finish drives, you put your defense in bad positions. We were moving the ball, but we self-destructed at times. We’ll work on those penalties. But it’s on me. I’m the head coach. I thought our kids played hard. But we didn’t play as well as we would have liked.”
Last year’s Class 5 state champion, Webb City trailed 21-13 at halftime and 28-13 at the end of the third quarter.
Roderique noted his team could never generate much momentum.
“In the game of football, there’s so much involved with momentum,” Roderique said. “I think if we’d have punched it in a couple of times we would have momentum and more energy. I never felt like we had much momentum. Our offense normally does that, but we didn’t do it. We just couldn’t finish anything. A lot of it was self-imposed.”
Of course, Webb City lost last year’s season opener, but went on to win a state championship. With that, Roderique noted one early-season loss won’t define the season.
“It’s just the first game and it is what it is,” Roderique said. “Now we know where we’re at. We know what direction we need to go as far as moving forward.”
Webb City QB Landon Johnson hands off to Cole Cavitt during Friday’s game against Nixa at Cardinal Stadium. Photo by Israel Perez.
GAME ACTION
After the Cardinals had a promising opening drive halted due to five penalties, Class 6 Nixa went 82 yards on three plays to take an early lead. Ramone Green sprinted 46 yards for the game’s opening score with 6:52 left in the first quarter.
The Cardinals tied it up on Cole Cavitt’s 5-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds left in the opening frame. The hosts went 80 yards on seven plays on the drive.
A 35-yard touchdown pass from Connor Knatcal to Wyatt Vincent gave Nixa a 14-7 lead with 10:55 remaining in the first half.
The Eagles went up 21-7 after Green connected with a wide open Spencer Ward on a 13-yard TD strike with 7:38 left in the second quarter.
The Cardinals responded on the ensuing drive, as Cavitt capped a seven play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. The PAT kick was no good.
Nixa led 21-13 at halftime.
But a penalty wiped out a Webb City touchdown early in the third quarter.
Nixa capitalized on the next series, as Green scampered in from a yard out, extending the visitors’ lead to 28-13. The Eagles converted a key fourth down play to keep the driving going.
The Cardinals had another drive stall inside the red zone, as a block-in-the-back penalty wiped out a golden opportunity. Webb City QB Landon Johnson was sacked on the next play for a turnover on downs.
Still, Omari Jackson’s 1-yard TD run cut the hosts’ deficit to 28-19 with 10:44 to play.
But Nixa added a pair of unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter, both by Dylan Rubera.
Omari Jackson picks up a gain on the ground for Webb City on Friday night. Photo by Israel Perez.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Webb City had 385 yards of total offense, with 374 on the ground and 11 through the air.
Jackson led Webb City with 162 rushing yards on 19 carries.
“I thought Omari had a really good night,” Roderique commented.
Cavitt added 88 yards on 12 carries. The Cardinals lost running back Max Stovern to an injury early in the game.
Johnson completed 2-of-7 passes and also ran 10 times for 47 yards. William Hayes hauled in both passes.
Connor Gayman was credited with nine tackles, while Lucas Ott had eight stops and Kaylor Darnell had seven tackles.
Webb City finished with 10 penalties for 66 yards.
Green ran 26 times for 231 yards and two scores, while Knatcal completed 9-of-14 passes.
“I thought Ramone was really impressive,” Roderique said. “We could hardly get a clean hit on him. I thought the way he played tonight really was a difference.”
Nixa features a solid core back from last year’s squad that went 8-3 and finished the ’21 season ranked seventh in Class 6.
Roderique gave the Eagles credit after the game.
“You win ballgames by having good players,” Roderique said. “They’ve got good athletes, great players, great coaches. They’ve got everything you need to be a good football team.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City (0-1) is at Carl Junction (1-0) on Thursday night.
NIXA 42, WEBB CITY 19
SCORING SUMMARY
NIXA: Ramone Green 46 run (Kaleb James kick)
WC: Cole Cavitt 5 run (Dante Washington kick)
NIXA: Wyatt Vincent 35 pass from Connor Knatcal (James kick)
NIXA: Spencer Ward 13 pass from Green (James kick)
To say Cody Hilburn’s first season at the helm of Seneca football was a success would be more than a slight understatement.
After a 3-7 season in 2020, Hilburn was introduced as the new head coach to his alma mater and led the Indians to an 8-5 record and a district championship in the process. Looking ahead to 2022, Seneca has its sights set even higher.
“I don’t know that the expectations were extremely high last year,” Hilburn said of his first season with Seneca. “We had to replace a lot of seniors, but we had a group of (incoming) seniors who were committed to what we were trying to do and bought into our ‘One percent better everyday’ motto. By the end of the year, we were playing pretty good football and found a way to win a district championship. Having that momentum going into the offseason helps. Our kids were excited to get back on the field after working hard in the offseason.”
“It was special,” Hilburn said when asked what last season meant to him. “I am not going to lie to you. But, more than just coming back to my (alma mater), it was the kids that I coached. To see a group of kids never as ‘why we are changing this?’ or “why are we doing that?’, they just bought in and did everything we asked them to do.”
While the Indians lost eight starters to graduation, the good news is nine starters are coming back and each of them were pivotal in the success last year.
“I think it’s big to bring back those kids who had a chance to win a district championship and play in an atmosphere like that before hosting a quarterfinal game,” Hilburn said. “We’ve experienced that already. So, the next time that happens, hopefully it will be ‘been there, done that’ for us.”
By class, Seneca returning starters and lettermen are senior linebacker Lincoln Renfro—a first-team all-conference, area and all-state honoree who earned SWMFBCA Player of the Year recognition—senior LB Dominick Wheeler, senior OL/DLs Chris Alexander and Jacob Gravener as well as senior WR/DB Conner Ackerson, who was first-team all-conference and district WR to go along with second-team all-area and conference HM as a DB. Also returning are senior OL/DL Logan Barwick, senior DB Jordan Allen, senior Nicholas Stephens as well as junior SS Morgan Vaughn, junior WR/DB Ethan Altic and junior RB/LB Jackson Marrs, who was a first-team all-district and area as a RB, LB and return man. He also earned second-team conference RB, LB and returner as well as garnering third-team all-state honors as a return man.
Newcomers to the varsity level expected to make an impact include junior Gavyn Hoover, who is expected to start at QB this year for the Indians, senior OL/DL Nash Crane, senior K Enoch Miller, junior WR/DBs Blake Skelton, Eli Olson and Cedar Starchman, junior OL/DL Brian Bigbee and junior LB Kouper Jarvis.
With the bevy of experience back coming off the success of last season, it’s certain no opponent will take Seneca lightly this season. For the Indians to build on the positive way last season closed, Coach Hilburn knows his team will have to be just as prepared and focused, if not more so, than last season in order to be where they want to be by the start of the postseason.
“I think we are going to get everybody’s best this year,” Hilburn said. “There’s no more sneaking up on anyone, or having a team overlook us. There is a whole new set of expectations and our kids are trying to understand that, but it takes reps and it takes weeks to truly figure that out.
Seneca opens the season on the road with a matchup at Aurora before hosting Springfield Catholic on Sept. 2.
After a season filled with adversity seemingly at every turn, Neosho softball returns plenty of experience with a little added motivation in 2022.
Following a year marred by injuries and other medical designations, the Wildcats return 12 players who either started or have logged significant varsity innings. That experience coming back, coupled with the way last season ended, has Neosho eager to take the diamond.
Neosho catcher McKaylie Forrest returns for her senior season.
“We had some talented seniors last year but we were just plagued by so many things out of our control that it led to a .500 record,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “This year, we have had a great three weeks of practice and we open up (on Friday) against Commerce, which we added to our schedule. We have eight seniors this year and most of them have a significant amount of varsity playing time. … Pitching wise, we’ve done a really good job of getting prepared for the season by throwing a lot of live pitching. So, our pitchers are in better shape than they’ve been in, and our hitters have seen more live pitching, too.”
The Wildcats welcome back senior catcher McKaylie Forrest, senior OF Baylie Bowers, senior SS Abbie Carpenter, senior P Chloe Patterson, senior 1B Maelynn Garrett, a three-year starter at first, senior 2B Grace Johnson, senior IF Jordyn Baker, senior UTL Trinity Drake, senior OF Avery Bradford, junior OF Tatiyana Douglas, sophomore 3B Beclynn Garrett and sophomore P Carleigh Kinnaird, who could also see time in the outfield.
“I think having our infield set.” Cummins said when asked, aside from pitching, what she felt the team’s biggest strengths will be. “They played a lot over the summer and looked good at our team camp and over these first few weeks. I think we will have really good infield play. … I hope we have a little more power this year at the plate, so that is something we are looking for. It has been a big focus these last few weeks.”
Neosho is also expected to have a few younger kids to contribute to the varsity squad this year—sophomore INF/OF Avyn Blair, freshman P/UT Olivia Emery and freshman OF Autumn Kinnaird, sister of Carleigh.
“We have had some good, healthy competition (this offseason),” Cummins said. “We have put them in some pressure situations early on during practice and I think we will benefit from that.
Neosho senior pitcher Chloe Patterson returns for her senior season.
“Autumn brings speed from the left side and can hit anywhere in the lineup,” Cummins said when asked what the new varsity faces bring to the team. “She can hit, she can slap and she can bunt. She is a little Lili (Graue)esque but with more pop. Aidyn has been working in the outfield and she is a really strong kid. She is a hard worker and has a great attitude. Olivia can play second base, she can play the outfield and she can pitch. She can swing it a little bit and is a great base runner.”
If you didn’t notice by the list of players at the varsity level, one of the biggest strengths this season, aside from the bevy of experience, will be the pitching depth with Patterson, Carleigh Kinnaird and Emery all expected to see time in the circle.
“I think we are going to be pretty successful,” Cummins said when asked about the depth and talent in the circle for the Wildcats. “Chloe has the most varsity experience, but Carleigh got in a lot of games last year. And Olivia plays a lot in the summer, so we are going to see her on the mound quite a bit, too. They are all unique, which is exciting for me—to see them work as a staff.”
The biggest question heading into the season for the Wildcats will be who lines up in the outfield. With so much talent and depth, the position chart may be always evolving depending on who is playing well.
“Our infield is pretty set with Maelynn at first as a three-year starter, McKaylie a four-year starter behind the plate, Beclynn, who was an all-region as a freshman and was pretty close to being all-state, then Abbie Carpenter at shortstop, who I think was second-team all-district,” Cummins said. “Second was a little bit of a competition, but Grace Johnson, a senior, has won that job.
“As far as the outfield, it is going to be whoever is hitting, and they know that. We have had that conversation extensively. If you’re hitting, you’re going to be able to play because we have seven or eight kids who are pretty similar (defensively). Since we have that, we have to narrow it down to our best three or four who are hitting.”
Neosho opens the season hosting Commerce High School at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.
“Originally, we didn’t have Commerce on our schedule, which was a little bit of a mess,” Cummins said. “We only had like 26 games and we can play 36 total. … We looked around and Commerce was willing to come to us—we wanted a couple more home games—and so it worked out really nicely. The girls get to play a little bit early and it’s varsity only so the JV kids get to see how it works with them all in the dugout. And we have a home football game, the first game of the season. It’s going to be a really fun day tomorrow and our girls are looking forward to it. We have new uniforms and they’re really excited to wear those. This is the most excited I’ve been since coming here to start our first game.”
Coming off a 10-2 season a year ago that saw an 8-1 regular season end in a loss in the district title game, Joplin football will look to once again compete in an always-daunting Central Ozark Conference with several new faces in the starting lineup on both sides of the ball.
“The plan is to plug the next guys in and keep rolling,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said when asked about the difficulties that come with roster turnover. “Obviously, it’s early and we have a lot of guys who are on the field now that didn’t see a whole lot of time last year. We are learning. The good news is that this group is really coachable and they really care. We will have some growing pains here and there but, ultimately, I think we have a chance to be a really good team.”
Joplin WR Terrance Gibson (10) returns for his senior season with the Eagles.
The Eagles welcome back eight starters, five on offense, two on defense and kicker Joseph Ipsen. Offensively, Joplin returns senior RB Drew VanGilder, senior WR Terrance Gibson, who earned first-team all-conference, area and district honors last season, junior OL Dontrell Holt, who was first-team all conference, area and district as well as second-team all-state, junior RB Quin Renfro and junior WR Aiden Sampson. Of course, with the graduation of Always Wright, the Eagles will have a new quarterback this season—junior Hobbs Gooch—who saw varsity action late last season.
“Majority of the guys we return on offense are skill guys,” Jasper said. “That is good to have. Dontrell is a tremendous leader to have on the offensive line.”
Players looking to make an impact on varsity this season on offense include junior TE Whit Hafer, junior RB Chavis Coleman, senior WR Isaiah Knoderer, senior ATH Orion Norris and sophomore ATH Davin Thomas.
With Holt the lone returning offensive lineman at left tackle, the Eagles will need the new faces to gel quickly as they accrue varsity snaps in the early portions of the season. The good news is Coach Jasper has seen positive progression already to this point through the offseason and preseason. Alongside Holt will be junior Dejuan Clark at LG, senior Rashaun Hill at C, junior Cadyn Taylor-Wise at RG and senior Jude Jimerson at RT.
“They want to be good and they know it takes a lot of hard work to get there,” Jasper said about the o-line. “They are on that path.”
Senior LB Draven VanGilder, a first-team all-COC selection, is one of two starting linebackers returning to the Joplin defense.
The defensive side of the ball will see the most transition for the Eagles, who return a pair of linebackers—senior Draven VanGilder, who finished with 168 tackles as a junior with first-team all-conference, area and district honors, and junior Jonathan Williams. Though he has nine new starters on defense, Jasper is thankful for the two returning linebackers because he views that position as the quarterback on that side of the ball.
“Not only are they tremendous linebackers and football players, they are tremendous human beings and tremendous leaders as well,” Jasper said. “We are very fortunate that if we are going to return two, we return those two to the heart of our defense. It’s nice having those two back. … Defense is all about watching film and understanding tendencies. Those two understand that and are doing a great job of helping everyone else get up to speed.”
The defensive line figures to be made up by senior DE Luke Smith, senior DT Luke Gunn with sophomore Keshawn Peavler at NT. In the second level, the Sam LB spot will see rotations alongside Draven VanGilder at Mike and Williams on the Will side. Senior Bennett Dall will man one of the CB spots in the secondary with the other corner spot and both safety positions in position battles.
“Once the snap happens, it’s just about playing football,” Jasper added about the defense. “Playing with a lot of speed and effort, getting 11 hats to the football, tackling and being physical up front.
Coach Jasper acknowledged that with so many new faces starting at the varsity level that there may be growing pains. The comfort comes with knowing the culture that has been built over the last several seasons along with the leadership he has inside the locker room makes him believe it won’t take long for them to get their feet under them.
Joplin kicker Joseph Ipsen returns to the Eagles this season for his senior year.
“As long as we show up every day and have great attitudes, give great efforts and be great teammates, I truly believe everything else will take care of itself,” Jasper said. “The thing I like most about football is if it is done right, it will give you great life tools. We know there is a lot of adversity in life and there is going to be adversity during the football season. As long as we work with each other, be good teammates and do the little things right, we’ll be alright.”
After opening up against Webb City the last two seasons, Joplin will have a new Week 1 opponent—Branson. The Eagles host the Pirates at 7 p.m. on Friday at Junge Field.
“We got the ball rolling here and have a bit of a tradition built,” Jasper said on the season outlook. “We play in a great stadium and we represent a great community and the greatest high school in the universe. We are going to do everything we can to represent all of those people to the best of our ability.”
College Heights Christian School is set to debut its 8-man football team.
The Cougars are scheduled to open their inaugural season against North Shelby at 7 on Friday night at St. Joseph Christian.
College Heights coach Travis Burk noted his squad is thrilled to kickoff the season.
“I think we’re as ready as we can be,” Burk said. “North Shelby was a top-four team in the state last year. It’s our opening game and it’s going to be a tough game. We’ll need to play well. But I expect our kids to get after it. And we’ll find out where we are.”
Burk said the team has made steady progress during preseason practices.
“We’re learning a lot,” said Burk, who has previous head coaching experience at Oswego and Humboldt in Kansas. “I think the kids are learning something new every day. We’ve got 22 kids out, and for 12 of them it’s been the first time they’ve ever put on a football helmet. They’re getting better and learning a lot. It’s been a journey. It’s been a lot different than other programs I’ve taken over. We started from scratch.”
College Heights football coach Travis Burk (left) is pictured with CHC athletics director Phillip Jordan. Courtesy photo.
The Cougars competed at a jamboree in St. Joseph last Friday.
“I thought we looked pretty good for our first time out,” Burk said. “We didn’t make a lot of mistakes. Overall, it went pretty good.”
Burk said sophomore Logan Decker is the team’s starting quarterback.
“He’s a smart kid and very athletic,” Burk said, noting that Decker is a dual threat.
Junior Colsen Dickens is slated to start at running back.
“He’s a great kid and is athletic,” Burk said. “He can play receiver, too.”
Junior Caleb Quade is a wide receiver.
“He’s about 6-4 or 6-5,” Burk noted. “He can jump and he runs well.”
Derrick McMillan, a senior, is another wide receiver.
“He’s quick and explosive,” Burk noted.
Sophomore Levi Durling is a player who can contribute at both running back and receiver, while freshman Cannon Miller is another option at receiver.
Senior Curtis Davenport (6-5, 235) is expected to anchor the offensive and defensive line.
“He’s very strong,” Burk said. “It looks like he’ll be an offensive guard and a defensive end for us.”
Matt Williams, a junior, is a player Burk expects to contribute at linebacker and on the offensive line.
Junior Kyson Miller is the starting center and a defensive lineman. Noah Hipple, a senior, is another player who will start on both sides up front. Sophomore Caleb Hipple is a nose guard.
“There are several other kids who will get some playing time,” Burk said, adding several freshmen could be in the mix.
College Heights has three home dates scheduled — Sept. 9 vs. Greenfield, Sept. 23 against Appleton City and Sept. 30 vs. Norborne. The home games will be played at Joplin High School.
With the program’s first-ever game arriving on Friday night, Burk noted he and the players are thankful for the opportunity to make College Heights proud.
“We’ve got great kids,” Burk said. “They work hard, and they ask questions and want to learn. They’re coming in before school to get their lifting in. I’ve got some great assistant coaches (Andrew Campbell, Kaden Decker, John Lucas). The administration has backed us and our parents have been wonderful. And I think we’re going to do some good things this season.”
While the 3-7 record from a year ago might not show it, Carl Junction had a very competitive season a year ago with plenty of experience coming back to make an impact for the 2022 campaign.
“We faced a lot of adversity throughout the entire year and that is one of the most important things young people can experience,” Carl Junction coach Doug Buckmaster said. “Being able to learn from an and push through adversity, and I think we learned a lot of lessons a year ago. I think that will carry over into this season. It’s game week, but we’ve already had to deal with adversity this year with a key player going down. So, we will find out how we rise to the occasion, keep fighting and keep competing and preparing. Fortunately for this year, we have a little more depth, so hopefully we can overcome that key loss. I am pleased with how the kids have handled themselves the entire summer and it’s just about game time.”
The Bulldogs return seven starters on the offensive side of the ball: junior quarterback Dexter Merrell, senior RB/DB Chance Benford, sophomore RB Tony Stewart, senior wide receivers Ayden Bard and Nathan Planchon, junior wide receiver Kyler Stewart and senior offensive lineman Rose Craig.
“We have Dexter Merrell back there at quarterback and we have a few key wide receivers back on the offense as well,” Buckmaster said. “Where we have inexperience is up front on the offensive line. We do have a returning starter there in Ross Craig who is a tremendous football player for us. He was our center last year, but he is going to move out and play left tackle.
“With the type of kids at the skill position that we have this year, we feel like we have an opportunity to be a little bit more explosive than we were a year ago. We have really focused on improving our running game. We don’t want to line up and throw it 40 times a game. We want to be more balanced, or even more top heavy running the football. … We have three or four kids who can rotate at running back, and they also play defense, so we are trying to get better at platooning than we have been the last couple of years.
Newcomers to the offense who are expected to make an impact on the varsity level include junior RT/DE Aidan Beachner, senior OG Josh McDermott and junior OG Pason Winder and junior C Dylan Robbins.
The focus for the offensive side of the ball for the Bulldogs, who base in multiple spread, will be taking care of the football. With Carl Junction playing several opponents tough last season, particularly in the first half of games, making sure to limit the game-altering mistakes on offense will be crucial to take the next step.
“The last three weeks of the football season, I have never had a team turn the football over as much as we did a year ago,” Buckmaster said. “It was unbelievable in the number of ways we turned it over the last three weeks. We talked about dealing with adversity, that is just another thing we are going to have to overcome. We have to value the football, and that’s been an emphasis. If you can’t take care of the football, you can’t play. … Hopefully, all of that is past us. We have focused on doing all of the little things right.”
Carl Junction is also returning eight starters to the defensive side of the ball, with Bard, Kyler Stewart and Tony Stewart all coming back in the defensive backfield. Benfield and senior Arlen Wakefield return at outside linebacker, while juniors Johnny Starts and Bentley Rowden are back at linebacker. On the defensive line, senior ends Braxton Dodds and Cayden Bolinger also return. Both will see time at TE on offense as well.
“We expect a lot of good things out of our defense because we return as many starters as we do,” Buckmaster. “The young man who we will leave nameless right now that was injured in the jamboree also started on the defensive side of the ball, so he will be tough to replace. Fortunately we have the depth we didn’t have a year ago, so hopefully someone will step up to do a good job to fill his shoes.”
Some new faces looking to contribute on varsity this year are senior DT Donnie Keith and senior DE/NT Wyatt Ausborn.
The Bulldogs open their season with a road matchup against Ozark on Aug. 26.
“Young men everywhere who are playing high school football in the state of Missouri are excited this week,” Buckmaster said ahead of Week 1. “These kids do a great job for you through the school year with strength and condition, during the summer when they get done what you need done and, now, here we are to this point. It’s payday.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are aware of the injury to the Carl Junction player in the jamboree. We decided not to mention/focus on the injury out of respect for the player and Coach Buckmaster.
As Neosho coach Brandon Taute heads into his second season at the helm of the Wildcats, his focus continues to circle around shifting the culture of the past in a positive direction.
“We have taken huge steps forward as a team,” Taute said. “Being able to have them in the weight room for an entire year and having a full offseason program, we’ve been able to get our culture and standards entrenched in the kids. We’ve made huge steps in that regard and are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were a year ago.”
Though Neosho finished with a 1-9 record last season, the Wildcats did see an 18-game losing streak come to an end with a win over Willard in October. With a year in the system for the returning Wildcats, Taute has already seen vast improvements from this time a year ago.
“I am extremely excited,” Taute said. “We’ve got a good group of kids who have been working really hard and have done a ton in the offseason, a lot of team-building stuff. I have gotten to know these kids a lot more than I did a year ago. So, I am excited to watch them go out there to compete and have some success.”
Neosho returns 11 starters back to the varsity squad, with eight of them coming along the offensive side of the ball.
“Having those kids back is huge because they have the experience of playing under the Friday night lights and you can’t replicate that no matter what you do,” Taute said. “For those kids to have played in those moments, that is going to give them an advantage. And, we are going to have a lot of young kids out there who are going to need to lean on those kids with experience who have been through it. We are going to count on those returners to be leaders and to teach the new kids, take them under their wings a little bit and get them ready for the moment.”
Offensively, the Wildcats welcome back junior QB Quenton Hughes, senior RB Jared Siler, senior WR Isaiah Green, senior WR Collyn Kivett, senior WR Brock Franklin, junior WR Cade Camerer, senior OL Carter Baslee and junior OL William Velasco.
“It’s not very often you bring back all of your skill guys on offense,” Taute said. “Getting all of that experience back is huge for an offense, especially when it’s still a new system to everybody. … We just understand the offense a lot better, so we are going to be able to do a little bit more than what we were able to do last year in terms of throwing in some wrinkles and adjustments for games. We are going to be able to execute at a higher level.”
On defense, Neosho returns a starter at every level in senior DL Nico Olivares, junior LB Zak Goff and senior DB Aiden Howell. Of course, with only three returning starters on the defensive side of the ball, there may be some growing pains early as players gain their footing under the Friday night lights. That is where the luxury of having experience at each level of the defense pays off.
“We have a lot of new faces on the defense,” Taute said. “But, they all have somebody they can go to, a leader, that has played that position or someone they can turn to for knowledge or answers on the field. We will do the best we can to prepare them for that moment but at the end of the day, it’s the 11 guys on the field that matter.
“We just want to get better every week on defense. We’ve been preaching to rally to the football, play with high energy and be physical. If we can do those three things, we are going to have success.”
Neosho opens the season hosting Willard at 7 p.m. on Friday.
Featuring two of the Central Ozark Conference’s top returning players, including the area’s premier two-way standout, the Carthage Tigers appear poised to once again be one of Southwest Missouri’s top football teams.
Entering the 2022 season, defending conference champion Carthage features six returning starters on both sides of the ball and 20 returning lettermen, including two players who received the COC’s top postseason awards last fall—Luke Gall and Micah Lindsey.
“I really like the experience we have coming back,” Tigers coach Jon Guidie said. “We’ve got a lot of seniors, which is fantastic. They’re doing a great job. I like how these guys practice and I like their attention to detail. And they’re a very close group. I think the chemistry is there. Hopefully, all that translates into doing something productive.”
Of course, when you talk about the Tigers, you have to begin with Gall, a standout senior running back and linebacker.
The reigning Central Ozark Conference Offensive and Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Gall has already put together a stellar prep campaign ahead of his senior season. Following his fantastic junior campaign, Gall was named the Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year by the Missouri Football Coaches Association.
“He had a great season a year ago, no doubt,” Guidie said. “I think he has even bigger expectations for himself. He’s so productive for us on both sides of the ball. And he has been for the last three years. Hopefully we’ll see more of the same. He’s a great kid and he works extremely hard. He’s very business-like in practice. His presence out there makes everybody else better.”
Carthage senior Luke Gall is the reigning COC Offensive Player of the Year and the Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Gall compiled 1,902 rushing yards with 29 touchdowns last fall, averaging 11.5 yards per carry.
Gall, who shared the conference’s defensive player of the year award with his teammate Micah Lindsey, recorded 88 tackles. Gall, a four-year performer who has earned first team all-state and all-conference honors, has committed to the Air Force Academy.
“He’s one of our most productive two-way starters in school history,” Guidie said. “He also may be the hardest working kid I’ve ever coached in 29 years.”
Senior Cooper Jadwin (5-10, 170) is slated to take over the starting quarterback duties.
“He’s been fantastic for us,” Guidie said. “Cooper’s played quarterback his whole life. He was the starting quarterback on the freshman team that went undefeated. He started at QB on the JV the last two years, and now he’s getting his chance. He’s very excited and we’re very excited about him. He’s very smart and runs the offense very well. He’s also a dual-threat kid.”
Senior Tyler Willis (6-3, 210) is entering his third year as a starting tight end, while classmate Hudson Moore (6-6, 180) is a three-year starter at wide receiver. Both Willis and Moore earned all-COC honors last year.
“Tyler has really bulked up and gotten stronger,” Guidie noted. “He’s a great blocker with good speed and hands. He’s a very consistent player. At 6-6, Hudson poses some mismatches. He has tremendous ball skills. He should have a great year.”
Senior wide receiver Aiden Rogers (5-9, 160) also returns with starting experience.
“He’s one of our fastest players,” Guidie said. “He’ll see an expanded role on both sides of the ball.”
The Tigers have two key returners on the offensive line, senior Drew Musche (6-0, 230) and junior Malachi Housh (6-0, 260). Musche earned all-conference recognition last year. Other possible starters on the offensive line include juniors Edward Carreto (6-3, 265) and Greyson Browning (6-1, 240).
Senior Chris Mejia returns to handle the kicking duties. He made 59 of 62 PATs last season.
The Tigers averaged 41 points per game last season, with 352 rushing yards and 84 passing yards per contest.
“We hope to be a little more balanced this year in terms of run vs. pass,” Guidie said.
The Tigers limited their opponents to 15 points per game last season, and Guidie hopes to see more of the same this season.
“We could possibly start 11 seniors on defense, which is very unusual,” Guidie said. “We have six kids who started consistently a year ago and we have some new faces. We have a lot of holes to fill from an extremely successful graduating class, a class that won 28 of its last 30 football games. We need to get buy-in from our newcomers and get them to understand how important commitment is.”
A senior, Lindsey (6-1, 240) is a returning all-state lineman who was the COC’s Co-Defensive POY with teammate Gall. Lindsey, who has committed to Pittsburg State, recorded 91 tackles (27 for a loss) with 11 sacks last season.
“Fast and explosive,” Guidie said of Lindsey. “He’s a very disruptive player. He and Luke are huge weight room guys.”
Seniors Clay Kinder (6-1, 200) and Davion King (5-11, 170) are returning starters at defensive back. Both garnered all-COC recognition.
“Clay started at safety, but is very versatile and could move to linebacker,” Guidie noted. “Davion is a three-year starter and is our leader in the secondary.”
Seniors Jadason Davis-Maxey and Mason Frisinger are candidates to start at defensive back. Fellow senior Antony DeLeon (5-10, 245) returns after starting up front last fall.
THIS ‘N THAT
After putting together a second straight undefeated regular season, Carthage’s stellar 2021 campaign came to an end in the district championship game, as the team’s lone loss after 10 wins came to eventual state champ Webb City.
Carthage hasn’t lost a regular season game since Sept. 27 of 2019. With that, the Tigers have won 21 straight regular season contests.
Guidie is entering his 18th season at Carthage and is the second longest tenured head coach in the conference behind Webb City’s John Roderique.
Guidie is approaching a milestone win, as he’s currently 199-70 as a head coach, with a 152-46 record at Carthage.
WEEK 1 IS HERE
Carthage hosts Republic on Friday night at David Haffner Stadium in the opener of the ’22 season.
“I think they’re going to be really good, and I think they’re going to be highly-competitive in our conference,” Guidie said of Republic. “They’re in their second year with their coaching staff and their system. They won six games last year and had a winning season. They’ve got seven guys back on both sides of the ball that have starting experience. I think their staff has changed the culture over there.”
In 2021, the Webb City Cardinals proved it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
The Cardinals put together a magical run to conclude the season, earning seven straight wins en route to a Class 5 state championship.
Webb City didn’t exactly have an easy path to the championship, as the Cards beat No. 1 Jackson, No. 2 Carthage and No. 3 Holt on the way to the program’s first title in Class 5.
“Last year, our football team developed a little slower,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “We started the season as an average team, but we really persevered and became a good team. With very few returning players, and with many young players contributing, it took a while for us to reach our potential. Our key is to always try and be the best team we can be in Week 10.”
Webb City coach John Roderique talks to his crew during the Class 5 Show-Me Bowl at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo. The Cardinals defeated the Holt Indians 26-21. File photo.
Now, Roderique’s Cardinals once again enter a new season as the defending state champion. And with five returning starters on defense and four starters back on offense, along with a promising group of newcomers across the board, the expectations remain high for perennial power Webb City.
“We feel good about the guys we have back,” said Roderique, who has led his alma mater to 13 championships, the most by a football coach in state history. “We have some experience back, more on the defensive side, and that’s always a plus. It’s a great group of kids. It’s been a good summer. Our kids have done a great job of working hard. Right now, it’s a matter of trying to get 11 guys working together on the field. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’re going to show up every day trying to get better.”
Roderique added there’s a lot to like about this year’s squad.
“It’s enjoyable to come to work every day with these guys,” Roderique said. “We’ve got some great coaches and great kids. That’s the best part. It’s an enjoyable process of working with the kids and the coaches.”
Webb City’s returning starters on offense are senior wide receivers Dante Washington and William Hayes, senior tight end Trey Roets and junior lineman Nate Miller.
Senior Landon Johnson (6-3, 180) returns with part-time starting experience at quarterback. Johnson, who started four games in place of Cohl Vaden, completed 27 passes for 457 yards with five touchdowns and also recorded 99 rushing yards with two scores.
Braden McKee, a 6-2 junior, is another option under center.
Despite losing both Cade Wilson and Dupree Jackson to graduation, a duo that combined for 46 rushing touchdowns, Webb City does return some experience at the running back position. Senior Max Stovern (270 yards, 2TD) and junior Omari Jackson (177 yards, 3TD) gained plenty of experience out of the backfield last season and are expected to take on bigger roles this year. Senior Aidan Alberty and junior Cole Cavitt are among several other running back candidates.
Webb City features a returning all-conference performer at wide receiver in Washington (6-0, 180), a player who hauled in 28 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in ’21. Washington was also an all-state selection as a kick returner.
“Dante is a dynamic playmaker on both sides of the ball and in special teams,” Roderique noted.
Hayes (6-2, 175) caught 23 passes for 375 yards and two scores last fall.
“William is a three-sport athlete who has really improved himself physically,” Roderique said. “He has range and versatility. He could get some time on the defensive side of the ball this year, as well.”
Seniors Cy Darnell and Eli Miller are other options at wide receiver.
Roets (6-3, 220) is a returning starter at tight end after hauling in nine passes for 160 yards and two scores last season.
“Trey had an outstanding junior season and looks to be even better this year,” Roderique said.
Juniors Jonah Spieker and Drew Vonder Haar are other tight end candidates.
Miller (6-2, 240) is a returning starter up front.
“Nate has had an outstanding offseason and has become much stronger,” Roderique said. “He’ll be a leader in our offensive line.”
Seniors Braeden Christian and Tom Mouser are other possible starting offensive linemen.
The team’s returning starters on defense are seniors Lucas Ott (DE/LB), A.J. Bash (DL), Billy Wolfe (LB), Kaylor Darnell (DB) and Washington (DB).
Ott (6-3, 220) earned all-state and all-COC honors last year after making 125 tackles last season with three sacks.
“Lucas has been our long snapper since his freshman year, and he has a bright future there,” Roderique said. “Last season he was an unsung hero for us switching from LB to DE, where he really solidified our defense late in the year.”
Bash (6-0, 230) recorded 46 tackles last year.
“A.J. has really developed into an outstanding defensive lineman for us,” Roderique noted. “He’s versatile and can play inside tackle or end.”
Junior Jace Jones (6-5, 230) is a top newcomer up front.
Wolfe (6-3, 205) had 76 tackles last season from the linebacker position.
“Billy has a very unique skill set,” Roderique said. “He’s an impressive athlete with great length and speed.”
Other possible linebackers include seniors Colton Gordon and McQuade Eilenstein and juniors Jordan Howard and Christian Brock.
Kaylor Darnell earned all-state and all-conference recognition after a standout junior season that saw him record 115 tackles.
“We look for Kaylor to be a leader in our secondary this year,” Roderique commented. “He is the quarterback of the defense.”
Washington grabbed a team-high five interceptions last season.
Along with Darnell and Washington, Webb City could utilize senior Grayson Smith, Cy Darnell, Hayes, junior William Headrick, senior Kenley Hood and junior Luke Gayman at the defensive back positions.
THIS ‘N THAT
The Cardinals captured a 22nd straight district championship last fall and finished with a record of 11-3. Webb City’s football program has now won 16 state championships, the most in state history. Roderique, now in his 26th season at the helm, owns an eye-opening career record of 309-31.
Webb City’s split-back veer offense averaged 39 points per game last fall, with averages of 276 rushing yards and 102 passing yards per contest.
The Cardinals’ 6-2 stack monster defense allowed 12.5 points per game last season. Opponents averaged 147 passing yards and 95 rushing yards per contest in ’21.
In Week 2, Webb City will play at Carl Junction on Sept. 1 for a Thursday night clash. Several area teams have a Thursday night game this season, with referee shortages given as the reason.
Webb City’s already impressive coaching staff has added Dave Wiemers as the defensive coordinator. Wiemers was Emporia State’s head coach from 2001-06, was Pittsburg State’s longtime defensive coordinator and coached at rival Carthage last season.
“Coach Wiemers is a very experienced coach,” Roderique said. “He brings a lot of energy and is a poised guy. Sometimes doing a few things a little different isn’t bad.”
Ryan McFarland will once again be the offensive coordinator, while former Lamar head coach Scott Bailey is the defensive line coach. Of course, Bailey led Lamar to seven state championships during his tenure.
WEEK 1 SHOWDOWN
Defending Class 5 state champ Webb City hosts Class 6 Nixa on Friday in a highly anticipated Week 1 showdown. The Eagles return a solid core from last year’s team that went 8-3.
“It’s going to be tough,” Roderique said. “They’re a talented bunch. The biggest thing in Week 1 is to find out where you’re at. We intend to be much like other teams before. We’ll be a team that needs to play well on defense early on so our offense can develop.”
The team’s returning starters on defense are seniors Lucas Ott (DE/LB), A.J. Bash (DL), Billy Wolfe (LB), Kaylor Darnell (DB) and Washington (DB). 
